Volunteering

We are
currently recruiting for the following positions:

Would you like to spend time on a ward chatting with patients,
keeping them company, and doing simple activities with them?
Our volunteers who help at mealtimes, in addition to befriending,
serve meals, encourage patients to eat, and sometimes feed
patients.

We are looking for volunteers who are:

Aged 18 and over,

Able to listen as well as being able to chat, and have a
genuine interest in people,

Be willing to approach patients and initiate
conversations,

Encourage patients to take part in simple activities, such as
Connect 4, or do reminiscence activities with them,

Available to volunteer on a weekly basis for much of the year,
offering a minimum commitment of at least six months.

Times for volunteering: for ward volunteers mornings or
afternoons during the week; for mealtime volunteers it is lunchtime
(12noon - 2pm) or evening meal (5.15pm - 6.30pm) during the
week. For both roles it is possible to volunteer at the
weekend, but the training is only provided during the week.

Training for these roles: one day induction (held once per month
during the week); two safeguarding sessions on a Wednesday;
supervised visits to a ward. For mealtime volunteers, there
is an additional mealtime training session (one morning including
lunchtime).

Our 'Meet & Greet' volunteers, based in the main reception
areas of the Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Eye Hospital, and
Bristol Heart Institute, greet patients and visitors to the
hospitals. They are proactive in approaching people and
helping them find their way to wards and clinics. The
volunteers will also escort patients and visitors to where they
want to go.

We are looking for volunteers to join this team who are:

Willing to find where different wards and clinics are around
the hospital,

To escort patients and visitors to where they want to go,

Be willing to approach people and initiate conversations,

Available to volunteer for a three or four hour session on a
weekly basis for much of the year and ideally are able to offer a
minimum commitment of at least six months.

Times for volunteering are: mornings and afternoons on Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, and afternoon on Friday.

Training for this role: one day induction (held once per month
during the week); two safeguarding sessions on a Wednesday;
supervised sessions in the reception area.

Would you like to be part of a team of volunteers who show new
mums-to-be and their partners around the maternity unit at St
Michael's? This is an ideal volunteering opportunity for
those wishing to pursue a career in midwifery.

Do you, or does someone you know, enjoy knitting? We are looking
for knitters to make Twiddle Squares and Twiddlemuffs for our
patients with dementia.

A Twiddle Square is a knitted square that can be joined with
other knitted squares to make a Twiddle Blanket. The blankets
benefit our dementia patients staying in hospital and then they can
take home the blankets once they have been discharged. More
information and the knit pattern
can be found here.

A Twiddlemuff is a knitted muff with different textures and
items attached which a patient with dementia can fiddle with while
staying on our hospital wards and then take with them when they are
discharged. People with dementia often have restless hands
and like to have something to keep their hands occupied. A
simple pattern for a Twiddlemuff, and where to bring your completed
Twiddles, can be
found here.

If you have any spare wool you would be willing to donate that
would be much appreciated too.

Volunteering with Above & Beyond

Above & Beyond is your
hospital's charity. Their volunteers mean they can achieve so
much more in our hospitals. Some do it because they have a personal
link with us, whilst others just want to help. Whoever they are,
they help with anything from office administration to marshalling
at fundraising events, or making use of their own special skills to
raise funds out in the community. Every one of them gives their
time and energy freely and Above & Beyond couldn't manage
without them. A couple of hours a week - once a month - you
can choose when you want to help out, so if you want to join a
friendly team doing amazing things for our hospitals contact
Cressida Prout on 0117 3700 486 or email hello@aboveandbeyond.org.uk.
You can find out more about us on our website.

Volunteering with The Grand Appeal & Cots for
Tots

Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal is the only charity
fundraising exclusively for the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
and St Michael's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Special Care Baby
Unit) at St Michael's Hospital.

The Grand Appeal was established in 1995 and has since
raised over £27 million to support a wide range of life-saving
medical equipment, patient comforts and a programme of arts, music,
education and play facilities.

Volunteers are such an important part of the Grand
Appeal team and we couldn't do what we do without
them.

If you'd like to be added to our volunteering list to hear
when we have opportunities to get involved with events,
collections, merchandise stalls or office administration, please
emailinfo@grandappeal.org.uktelling us a little about yourself, your availability and the
type of volunteering you are interested in.